Diesel injector tube body reforming tool

ABSTRACT

A lightweight portable tool for reforming copper injector tube bodies in the head of a Detroit diesel engine, to reposition the flanges of the tubes into sealing contact with resilient O-rings, without removing the head from the engine, and without in any way altering the machined interior surface of the injector tube bodies.

Alhertson Bennett... Uhl Dunkerlcy ABSTRACT cs 01 the tubes into sealingUnited States Patent 1191 Mancini 22 Filed:

Prinmr E.\'amin0rC. W. Lanham Allorney. Agenl 0r Firm-Wi11iam C. Bahcock[52] U.S. C1.72/393:29/Z55;29/2751 2 282 1 g of Search U A lightweightportable tool for reforming copper m- 29/283 282 280 763 755 744 73g 770JECIOI' tube bodies In the head of a Detroit diesel encontact withresilient O-rmgs without rcmoung the gme to reposition the flan [56]References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS head from the engine, and withoutin any way altering the machined interior surface of the injector tubebodies.

284,107 8/1883 Wheelock 311,960 2/1885 Cottrelluw 1,049,173 12/1912Turek DIESEL INJECTOR TUBE BODY REFORMING T OL BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION 1. The field of the invention Diesel injector tube bodyreforming tool.

2. Description of the Prior Art Diesel engines have been manufactured bythe Detroit Diesel Division of General Motors for a number of years, andthousands of these units are in current use. In such engines, the fuelinjectors are supported in copper injector tube bodies positioned in thehead of the engine, with the tube bodies having flanges that extendoutwardly from the upper ends thereof and pressure seal with O-ringstherebelow. After prolonged use, the flanges on such injector tubes nolonger pressure seal with the O-rings, and in the past it has beennecessary to remove the head from the engine in order to rectify thiscondition.

The interior surfaces of the injector tube bodies are machined after thetubes are in place in the head, in order that the fuel injectors may bepressfit thereinto. Furthermore, the injector tubes are of a relativelythin wall thickness and are formed from copper or an alloy thereof.

In the past, attempts to force the flanges of the injector tubes intopressure sealing contact with the O-rings have resulted in unwantedforces being applied to the injector tubes that cause the machinedinterior surfaces thereof to deform and no longer maintain a seal withthe fuel injectors disposed therein, or distort to the extent that thefuel injectors cannot be placed within the injector tube bodies.

The primary purpose in devising the present inven tion is to supply alightweight portable tool that is particularly adapted for reforming theflanges on the injector tube bodies of a Detroit diesel engine intosealing contact with the O-rings associated therewith, and without thenecessity of removing the head from the engine when such repairs aremade. As a result, the injector tube bodies of a Detroit diesel enginemay be easily and quickly repaired when the vehicle in which the Detroitdiesel engine is the motive power is in the field.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A portable tool for reforming the flanges oninjector tube bodies in Detroit diesel engines to pressure seal withO-rings associated therewith, without the necessity of removing the headfrom the engine.

The tool includes a rigid plug having a number of circumferentiallyspaced resilient fingers extending upwardly therefrom, which fingershave downwardly and inwardly inclined inner surfaces. A center tappedfirst bore extends through the plug.

A rigid body having a frusto-conical exterior surface is in slidablecontact with the interior surfaces of the fingers. A second bore ofgreater transverse cross section than the tapped first bore extendslongitudinally through the body. A threaded rod extends through thesecond bore and engages the first bore. The upper end of the threadedrod is provided with a head for rotating the same. A washer ispreferably interposed on the rod between the lower surface of the headand the upper surface of the body. When the rod is turned by use of thehead, the head exerts a force on the body that tends to move itdownwardly toward the plug, and in so doing, radially expands thefingers into pressure contact with the interior surface of the injectortube body in which the tool is disposed.

When the fingers of the tool are in pressure contact with the interiorsurface of the injector tube body, an inverted elongate cup may be usedto reform the flange into sealing contact with the O-ring. Thisreformation is carried out due to the cup which has a lower, ringshapedsurface thereon that tapers downwardly and outwardly, and when thissurface is in contact with the flange and the cup is subjected to aseries of light blows. the flange is permanently deformed downwardly andoutwardly to pressure with the O-ring. Such reforming of the flange maybe carried out without removing the head from the engine.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT FIG. 1 is a perspectiveview of the two major components of the invention, which includes theassembly to engage the injector tube body and the cup used to impact theflange to reform the latter to pressure seal with an O-ring;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the assembly that is used toengage the injector tube body;

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the portion of theinvention that engages the injector tube body, and with this assembly inplace in a Detroit diesel engine head;

FIG. 4 is the same view as shown in FIG. 3, but with the assembly beingshown in side elevation, and the cup in vertical cross section, with thecup in contact with the flange, and the flange having been reformed topressure seal with the O-ring; and

FIG. 5 is a transverse cross-sectional view of the assembly portion ofthe invention. taken on the line 5-5 of FIG. 4.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In FIGS. 3 and 4 a head Aof a Detroit diesel engine is shown that has an opening 10 formedtherein in which an injector tube body B is disposed that is formed fromcopper or other material having good heat-conducting characteristics.The injector tube body B (FIGS. 3 and 4) includes an upper tubularsection 12 and a lower tubular section 14 of smaller transverse crosssection, with the two sections at their junction defining acircumferentially extending body shoulder l6 therebetween that slopesdownwardly and inwardly. The upper injector tube body section 12 has acircular flange 18 extending outwardly from the upper end thereof, withthe flange being in pressure scaling contact with an O-ring 20 that isdisposed in a recess 22 formed in the head A.

The present invention that is used in reforming the flange 18 from theposition shown in FIG. 3 to that illustrated in FIG. 4 is an injectortube body-engaging assembly C and an impact-imparting unit D, both ofwhich are shown in FIG. 1. The assembly C, as can best be seen in FIGS.3 and 5, includes a plug 24 formed from-a hard, rigid material that iscylindrical in transverse cross section and snugly and slidably engagesthe interior surface of the upper tubular section 12.

The plug 24 has a centered longitudinally extending bore 26 formedtherein in which threads 28 are defined. Plug 24 has a lower, taperedring-shaped surface 30 that conforms to the tapered configuration of thebody shoulder 16 (FIGS. 3 and 4) which extends down wardly and inwardly.The plug 24 has a number of circumferentially spaced fingers 32extending upwardly therefrom. the exterior surfaces of which are formedin an arcuate configuration to conform to the interior surface of theupper tubular section 12, The inner surfaces 34 of fingers 32 at leastpartially taper downwardly and inwardly toward one another for reasonswhich will later be explained.

A rod 36 is provided that has threads 38 formed on at least the lowerportion thereof, with these threads 38 engaging the threads 28 formed inbore 26. A rigid body 40 is provided that is of elongate shape and inwhich a centered second bore 42 extends longitudinally therethrough, andthis bore is of greater transverse cross section than the first bore 26.The lower portion of the body 40, as is shown in FIG, 3, is of frustoconical configuration, and is of such angulation as to slidably andsnugly engage the interior surfaces 34 of the fingers 32. A head 44 ison one end of rod 36, as best shown in FIG. 2, and this head has anon-circular recess 46 formed therein that may be engaged by a suitablewrench or tool to turn the rod.

Body 40 preferably has the upper portion thereof formed with two,parallel, laterally spaced flat surfaces 48 that may be removablygripped by a suitable wrench (not shown) to prevent the body fromturning when the invention is being used. A washer 50 is provided. asmay best be seen in FIG. 2, through which the rod 36 extends. with thewasher being disposed between the under side 44a of the head 44, and theupper surface 52 of the body 40. The purpose of the washer 50 is tominimize friction when the rod 36 is being rotated.

The components comprising the in ector tube bodyengaging assembly C areshown in exploded perspective in FIG. 2 and in the assembled conditionin FIG. 3. When the components of the assembly C have been assembled asillustrated in FIG. 3, the assembly is lowered into the injector tubebody B to permit the tapered lower end 30 to seat on the body shoulder16. The rod 36 is then rotated in an appropriate direction to move theplug 24 and body 14 towards one another, and as a result, the fingers 32are deformed outwardly into pressure contact with the interior surfaceof the upper tube section 12.

The impact-imparting unit D is in the form of an elongate, rigid cup, asshown in FIG. 4, that has a cylindrical side wall 54, which on the upperend thereof develops into a heavy section 56 that serves to receive asuccession of blows from a hammer, or the like. The lower end of theside wall 54 develops into a ringshaped surface 58 that is of the sametransverse area as the upper surface of the flange 18, but with thesurface 58 tapering downwardly and outwardly as shown in FIG. 4. Whenthe impact-imparting unit D is disposed as shown in FIG. 4, and theanvil 56 subjected to a succession of light blows by a hammer (notshown), the flange I8 is reformed to extend downwardly and outwardly topressure contact the O-ring to effect a seal therewith. It will beapparent from the drawing that the injector tube body-engaging assemblyC and impactimparting unit D of the invention are portable, and may beused to effect reforming of the flange 18 into sealing engagement withthe O-ring 20 without removing the head A from the engine (not shown) ofwhich it forms a part.

The fingers 32, as can best be seen in FIG. 5, are separated by spaces60. When the invention is used in the manner above described, the plug24 and fingers 32 are in surface contact with the interior surface ofthe upper tubular section 12, and prevent this upper tubular sectionfrom deforming or having ripples formed therein when the flanges 18 aresubjected to the reforming operation by use of the impact-imparting unitD.

The use and operation of the invention has been previously explained indetail, and need not be repeated.

I claim:

1. A lightweight portable tool for reforming a ringshaped flange on acopper injection tube body in a diesel engine head to permit said flangeto pressure contact a resilient O-ring and seal therewith withoutremoving said head from said engine, which injection tube body is of atype that includes upper and lower tubular sections of differentinternal diameter, which at their junction define a circumferentiallyextending body shoulder that tapers downwardly and inwardly, with saidupper section having a machine finished interior cylindrical surface,said upper section having said flange extending outwardly from the upperend thereof, which tool includes:

a. a plug of substantially lesser depth than the length of said firstsection, saiid plug having a transverse cross section such that saidplug is snugly and slidably insertable within the interior of said uppersection, with said plug having a tapered ring-shaped lower end that isadapted to said body shoulder, which plug includes a plurality ofcircumferentially spaced fingers that extend upwardly therefrom to thetop of said first section when said injection tube body is disposed insaid head with said flange ex-' tending over said O-ring that isdisposed in a circular recess formed in an upper surface of said head,said plug having a first, centered, longitudinally extending andinternally threaded bore therein below said fingers, with said fingersincluding arcuately curving external surfaces that have substantiallythe same radius of curvature as said interior surface of said firstsection, and said fingers having internal surfaces that taper downwardlyand inwardly towards one another;

b. a rigid, elongate body that has a longitudinal second bore formedtherein of greater transverse cross section than that of said firstbore, said body having an external frusto-conical surface that tapersdownwardly and inwardly at substantially the same angle as said interiorsurfaces of said fingers;

c. a threaded rod that extends downwardly through said second bore andengages said threads in said first bore;

d. a head on said rod for rotating said rod, which head when said rod isrotated in an appropriate direction with said plug being seated on saidbody shoulder, moves said body towards said plug and forces saidexternal surfaces of said fingers into pressure contact with saidinterior surface of said first section to prevent said section fromdeforming when a longitudinally directed force is applied thereto; and

e. first means for concurrently applying a longitudinally directed forceto the entire external surface of said flange in a direction towardssaid head to reform said flange to sealingly pressure contact saidO-ring and without deforming said first sectron. 2. A tool as defined inclaim 1 which further includes: a. a rigid washer interposed betweensaid head and body through which said rod extends, said washer tendingto minimize friction as said head is rotated relative to said body. 3. Atool as defined in claim 1 which further includes a pair of laterallyspaced, parallel flat surfaces defined on said body that may beremovably gripped by a wrench that is held stationary to prevent saidbody from rotating when said head and rod are rotated.

4. A tool as defined in claim 1 wherein said first means defines aring-shaped surface that tapers downwardly and outwardly and reformssaid flange to pressure seal with said O-ring when said ring-shapedsurface is brought into forceful contact with said flange.

5. A tool as defined in claim l wherein said first means is an elongaterigid cup that defines a ringshaped surface at the open end thereofwhich tapers downwardly and outwardly, and which surface when in contactwith said flange and said cup subjected to a succession of light blows,reforms said flange to pressure seal with said O-ring.

1. A lightweight portable tool for reforming a ring-shaped flange on acopper injection tube body in a diesel engine head to permit said flangeto pressure contact a resilient O-ring and seal therewith withoutremoving said head from said engine, which injection tube body is of atype that includes upper and lower tubular sections of differentinternal diameter, which at their junction define a circumferentiallyextending body shoulder that tapers downwardly and inwardly, with saidupper section having a machinE finished interior cylindrical surface,said upper section having said flange extending outwardly from the upperend thereof, which tool includes: a. a plug of substantially lesserdepth than the length of said first section, saiid plug having atransverse cross section such that said plug is snugly and slidablyinsertable within the interior of said upper section, with said plughaving a tapered ring-shaped lower end that is adapted to said bodyshoulder, which plug includes a plurality of circumferentially spacedfingers that extend upwardly therefrom to the top of said first sectionwhen said injection tube body is disposed in said head with said flangeextending over said O-ring that is disposed in a circular recess formedin an upper surface of said head, said plug having a first, centered,longitudinally extending and internally threaded bore therein below saidfingers, with said fingers including arcuately curving external surfacesthat have substantially the same radius of curvature as said interiorsurface of said first section, and said fingers having internal surfacesthat taper downwardly and inwardly towards one another; b. a rigid,elongate body that has a longitudinal second bore formed therein ofgreater transverse cross section than that of said first bore, said bodyhaving an external frusto-conical surface that tapers downwardly andinwardly at substantially the same angle as said interior surfaces ofsaid fingers; c. a threaded rod that extends downwardly through saidsecond bore and engages said threads in said first bore; d. a head onsaid rod for rotating said rod, which head when said rod is rotated inan appropriate direction with said plug being seated on said bodyshoulder, moves said body towards said plug and forces said externalsurfaces of said fingers into pressure contact with said interiorsurface of said first section to prevent said section from deformingwhen a longitudinally directed force is applied thereto; and e. firstmeans for concurrently applying a longitudinally directed force to theentire external surface of said flange in a direction towards said headto reform said flange to sealingly pressure contact said O-ring andwithout deforming said first section.
 2. A tool as defined in claim 1which further includes: a. a rigid washer interposed between said headand body through which said rod extends, said washer tending to minimizefriction as said head is rotated relative to said body.
 3. A tool asdefined in claim 1 which further includes a pair of laterally spaced,parallel flat surfaces defined on said body that may be removablygripped by a wrench that is held stationary to prevent said body fromrotating when said head and rod are rotated.
 4. A tool as defined inclaim 1 wherein said first means defines a ring-shaped surface thattapers downwardly and outwardly and reforms said flange to pressure sealwith said O-ring when said ring-shaped surface is brought into forcefulcontact with said flange.
 5. A tool as defined in claim 1 wherein saidfirst means is an elongate rigid cup that defines a ring-shaped surfaceat the open end thereof which tapers downwardly and outwardly, and whichsurface when in contact with said flange and said cup subjected to asuccession of light blows, reforms said flange to pressure seal withsaid O-ring.